ANGEL
by Loreal
Summary: A new student comes to the school and joins up with the Cliffhangers. Prior to her arrival, Peter had no idea what he would be geting in to... Read and review!


ANGEL BY: LML  
  
Disclaimer: The characters, themes, ideas, etc. concerning Higher Ground don't belong to me. I'm only borrowing them for a bit of fiction, hope it's good and hope you guys like it! Send comments to llavigna@hotmail.com, or follow the link to my profile here on Fanfiction.net and email me from there at the addy provided.  
  
Note: This takes place after the show ends. Kat has graduated, leaving a slot for another cliffhanger to join up. But there is more to the new girl than meets the eye. She's a bit younger than the rest, but that's not the only strike against her. Her past is different from that of the rest of the Cliffhangers, but then again there are other similarities to a few of them... Keep reading to find out what happens to this girl while she enjoys her stay at Mt. Horizon!  
  
Chapter 1: Untimely Angel  
  
Peter stood still, watching the cloudless sky beginning to turn threateningly into a cloud-filled one. He couldn't help but wonder at just why the sky had seemed so beautiful one moment and could turn out to be so dark and threatening the next. He only hoped that today wouldn't turn out to be too terrible, and he wasn't thinking just in terms of the weather. There would be a new arrival today, and he wanted things to go smoothly for this girl. He had her file in his office, but hadn't gotten a chance to read through it yet. She was a last-minute arrival, and he had a feeling that there would be a lot more surprises to come. What he already did know, however, was the girl's name and the name of the person bringing her to Horizon.  
  
Fourteen-year old Angel Carson would be arriving at precisely 11:30 am, as per instructions from Yvette Saunders, the social worker in charge of the girl's case. Peter had spoken with the woman on the phone, and from what he gathered from his end of the conversation, Yvette was not only punctual, but a real stringent person when it came to getting things done. In fact, Peter had noted the woman seemed almost loathed to being relegated to the task of bringing Angel all the way out here to Horizon, four hours away from where both Angel and the social worker's office originated. But Peter had his own hopes concerning the girl whom by his calculations, should be arriving in the next five minutes. He felt that if he worked hard enough with Angel, that perhaps he could help her to turn her life around.  
  
Five minutes later a small two-door, Sedan pulled up only a few feet from where Peter stood waiting. He watched as a woman of both medium height and build alighted from the drivers' side of the vehicle and pulled on the front seat to allow her passenger in the back access to the open door. Peter watched as the solemn-faced girl extracted herself from the car effortlessly and stood a few inches from the social worker's side, waiting to be given her orders. Peter also noticed the small collapsed item she held in her right hand. As he watched, Angel tugged on the strap with its loop holding the object together and was amazed to see a long, white cane appear. This was something that he hadn't read in the file, but he quickly remembered that he had only received the file a short while earlier. It struck him also as being odd that the social worker had neglected to mention the girl's obvious blindness to him while they spoke over the phone. But Peter dismissed this for the moment. Deciding that he could no longer remain quiet, as this was now his territory and the proverbial ball being in his court, Peter stepped forward and extended a hand to the young girl first. Somehow she knew he was in front of her, and her left hand took the cane as she offered her right hand to Peter's own outstretched one.  
  
"Hello, Angel," Peter began in a soft tone as he shook her hand. He usually went through his normal spiel in a rehearsed manner, but felt that this wasn't the time in which to approach the girl with such an advance. "I'm Peter Scarbrow. Welcome to Mt. Horizon."  
  
Angel looked up at the tall man who now stood before her and then back down at the ground. She seemed to stare at him but not stare at him. Peter wondered just how much vision, if any, this girl had. She said nothing, but rather she kept her shoulders hunched forward almost as though she were cold. Peter could understand the girl's solemn attitude, but couldn't figure out why she hadn't acted out in defiance toward her social worker and/or him. Storing this information away for later reference, Peter turned his attention to the trunk of the car where the social worker had already extracted two small duffle bags and had deposited them on the ground at Peter's feet.  
  
"Mr. Scarbrow," Yvette Saunders began without introduction, "I trust that you can handle things from here?" Without waiting for Peter to neither confirm nor deny she said simply, "I must be heading back to the city, and mustn't be late for another apointment with one of my other more pressing cases. Angel already knows enough not to give you any trouble, as we've already had our little talk on the drive up here." Peter could do no more than nod before the woman turned around and climbed back into her car. Closing the door, she turned the ignition over and backed out of the dirt lot without so much as a last glance at the pair standing in the wake of her rapid departure. For several seconds all the pair did was stand and size one another up. Peter took in the look Angel Carson possessed. She was a thin girl, but looked to be in good health. Unlike the several anorexic or bulimic teens Peter had seen over the course of his last seven years here at Mt. Horizon, Angel looked to possess neither quality about her. Finally, Peter decided it was time to get her checked in.  
  
"Well, Angel, let's get you checked in and then I'll give you the tour. The group you'll be joining up with, the Cliffhangers, are currently out on a quest. They will be returning in about three days, so in the meantime I can help you get acclimated to the new surroundings and the routines here at Horizon." Peter knelt and grabbed the two small duffle bags, noticing instantly that they were vary light in weight and were smaller than they looked. He took Angel by the arm and guided her toward his office. He would then run through the rules of Horizon, search her belongings and her person for drugs, weapons, or anything of the like which were considered to be contraband, and then he would fill out the necessary paper work for Angel's file.  
  
Angel walked with him, silent and staring at the ground all the way. Peter noted that she didn't move her head from the bent position until he spoke to her. He wondered about that but said nothing to its regard. Finally he broke the growing silence.  
  
"Angel, do you mind if I ask you something?"  
  
Angel's head ascended slowly as she turned her gaze onto Peter's face. He wondered if she could see him at all, and made a mental note to read through her file thoroughly at the first available opportunity. "Sure," was Angel's detached response. "Ask away."  
  
"Have you been blind all your life?"  
  
Angel nodded her head. "I was born early and then after about a month I was diagnosed as having a permanent loss of vision. All I know is that this is the only way of life I've ever known. I can see shadows and if there's enough lighting sometimes colors are visible to me as well. But beyond that I can't see anything. I don't know what a real sunset looks like, or even a sunrise for that matter. The shadows I see have to be at close range in order for me to make them out well enough to know just what they are."  
  
As they walked, Angel's voice was growing more and more emphasis, almost as if this had been a rehearsed speech. Upon their arrival to Peter's office Peter place Angel's bags in the corner furthest from the door and guided the young girl to a vacant chair across from his own chair, which sat behind his desk. Peter then took his own seat and made eye contact with Angel. He noticed how she held her head straight and still, unmoving whatsoever. She sat in preparation for whatever he had to say next. Peter grabbed a form from atop a file folder and picked up the pen nearby.  
  
"Okay, Angel, I'm just going to run through some rules and policies we have in place here at Mt. Horizon. Next I'll have a nurse come in and give you a physical. Then after that I'll take you over to the girls' dorm so you can get settled in. Like I said though you'll be the only one here for a few days since your group is out on a quest..."  
  
As Peter spoke he watched Angel intently. He noticed her concentration was on him and what he was saying. It only took about an hour for him to run through all of the rules, policies, and consequences in place. Once the physical and the search of Angel's belongings had been completed, he took her straight to the girls' dorm as he'd promised earlier. As Peter guided Angel from place to place on campus, he noticed how much attention she paid to every detail. She used her cane frequently when inside a building, but outside was a little tougher for her. As there were no set sidewalks, paths, or other well-defined indicators for her to use as viable landmarks, Angel realized that there were going to be times where she would need to rely heavily on others for assistance. This didn't go unnoticed by Peter, who was also paying close attention to Angel and how she familiarized herself with the new surroundings.  
  
"Well, Angel," Peter began as he finished showing her the layout of the cafeteria, "since you'll be without your group for a few days, would it be all right with you if you and I got to know one another a bit better?"  
  
Angel shrugged her shoulders and nodded in response. "Sure, I guess... What do you want to know about me, Mr. Scarbrow?"  
  
Peter smiled and put a reassuring hand on Angel's shoulder. He knew that this must seem more than a little frightening to her and was eager to make her transition to life here at Horizon as smooth as was humanly possible. "Well, you fascinate me." Peter began. "I don't mean that in a negative way, Angel, but the way you pay attention to all the details of everything I've shown you in the last hour and a half, well it just amazes me that's all. Also, we'll need to come up with a way for you to do your schoolwork... Papers, written assignments, stuff like that. How did you used to do your work before you came here?"  
  
"In my old school, before..." Angel paused briefly. She drew in a breath and continued. "Before I was sent here, I used a computer to write up all the work my teachers required of me. Whenever I couldn't do things on the computer like mathematics, a Brailler was used. It's a machine that uses paper thicker than normal notebook paper, and the machine punches out Braille symbols when different combination of keys are pressed. In school, I had an assistant who would transcribe everything from Braille into print. But I guess that won't be possible here..."  
  
Peter's mind was racing with ideas of how he could get Angel working just as efficiently as the others did. He made a mental note to check into finding an assistant for her, one whom could read and transcribe from Braille into print and vice versa. He knew also that there would be equipment required for Angel to do her studies effectively, and he was going to check in to that as well.  
  
"Well, for the time being someone can read things to you until we can get things established permanently. I'll see about getting a tape recorder for you to record your classes and note taking. And," Peter continued smiling, "I'm going to make sure you are just as active in all of the activities as the other Cliffhangers are. But I'm sure that's something I don't have to tell you... Right?"  
  
Angel shook her head. "No. But when I was in my old school, they refused to let me participate in Gym class. They said it was due to their concerns of being held accountable if something were to happen to me while playing softball or running laps or something, but I have my opinions on that subject."  
  
Peter laughed lightly. "Angel, you seem like someone so much further ahead of your years. You're incredibly articulate, and you're a bright young lady. Anyone who ever tells you that you don't have the ability or capability to do something while you're here will have to answer to me."  
  
Smiling back at him Angel thought about that. It had been quite a while since she'd had someone who believed in her and wasn't ready with reasons why she couldn't do something. She only wished that things hadn't gone the way they had, that her family hadn't been torn apart in such a brutal and violent manner. She hoped that being here would help her to deal with all the problems she had, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to talk about them yet. She liked Peter well enough, but liking him and trusting him were two entirely different entities in themselves. The last person she'd trusted had really thrown her a curveball so to speak, one, which landed her here at Mt. Horizon.  
  
Peter looked at his watch, and noticing that it was nearly 2:00 pm, said that he thought it was time Angel learned how to do a couple of things. She already knew how to handle everyday tasks such as kitchen detail, but he was bound and determined to show her how everything was done, in the hopes that she would, in turn, teach the rest of the kids that just because you weren't perfectly normal didn't mean you weren't capable of performing the same tasks as everyone else.  
  
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"Well, that's basically it." Peter smiled as he took the last dish from Angel's hands. She'd spent the last few hours showing him just what of household chores she knew how to do, and he'd shown her other things which weren't customarily household chores, but ones which were expected of students at Horizon. By this time it was now nearing 5:00 PM, and dinner would be soon.  
  
"Angel, since I have a few other things I'd like to go over with you, what do you say we grab a bite to eat in town?" Normaly Peter didn't take a student out for dinner. That was reserved for the student's family whenever they came for a weekend or other such visit. However, having browsed through Angel's file more carefully this time he'd learned that her family wouldn't be coming for any weekends or any visits, not for quite a while.  
  
"I don't want to be any trouble, Mr. Scarbrow. I mean if you've got stuff you need to get done, I can go back to my dorm or something and..." Peter cut her off with a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Angel, I don't mind. You're not a burden or trouble at all, and it'll help me to get to know who you are a little better. Like I said your group won't be back for a couple more days. And, since I am one of your councelors it might be a good way for me to get to know you and you to get to know me and how I operate." Peter didn't tell her that this was something out of the ordinary for him to do, but he couldn't vary well remain predictable for the rest of his life. Angel wasnt the typical, troublesome student he normally received. But, he also knew that each student was their own individual person with their own individual falts, characteristics, and problems.  
  
"All right then," Angel said smiling slightly. "I could definitely use something to eat."  
  
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Peter entered Rusty's with Angel, and was directed to an empty table in the corner. Angel didn't sit right away, but asked, "Could you give me directions to the restroom please?"  
  
"Go straight ahead." Peter began. "You're going to walk past three tables, and then there's going to be an open space to either side of you. Keep going strait, until you find a wall with wood pannels. Take a left and keep the wall on your right hand side until you come to a small alcove. The women's restroom is just in there on the right hand side."  
  
Angel turned and followed Peter's directions to the letter. He watched until she made it over safely, and turned his head away. He didn't want it to appear too obvious that he was watching her, but it was too late. Stacy, one of the waitresses saw Peter's stare and headed over to him. "Hey there Peter, it's great to see you. Who's the young lady with you this evening?"  
  
"She's a student of mine, a new arrival. The other Cliffhangers are out on quest and won't be back for another three days, so I decided to show her the ropes around Horizon. She's pretty young, the youngest one we've had admitted. But she's kind of on her own until the rest of her group comes back." Peter looked at Stacy who just nodded.  
  
"And you decided to take her under your wing. What are you going to do when you've got to go home at night and leave her in the dorm on her own?" Stacy didn't mean to sound offensive, but having never seen how either Peter, or Horizon for that fact, would react to having a student whose challenges included a visual impairment, was curious.  
  
"Stacy, she is blind, not incapable. She can take care of herself in and around the campus." Peter's words were cut short when he caught sight of Angel rejoining their table. Stacy steped aside, giving angel room to seat herself in the booth and smiled.  
  
"Would you two like anything to drink while you look at the menu?"  
  
Peter smiled and winked quickly at Stacy. He hadn't meant to be so short with her with regard to Angel, but he knew that in order for people to accept Angel, they needed to accept Angel as a young woman who was blind.  
  
"I'd like a glass of soda, if it's all right please." Angel said turning her head to look at Stacy. Peter ordered an ice water and Stacy left their table.  
  
For a few moments the two of them were silent until Angel asked, "What will I do for the next few days until my group comes back? I mean it's Thursday night and..." She trailed off.  
  
"Well, I was thinking that you'd start off tomorrow by mastering how to find different places on Horizon's campus on your own for the most part. I'll be with you, but what I think I'd like to try is show you how to find one place at a time, with the girls' dorm being your starting point. After I show you how to find it once, I'm going to have you try and find it without my guidance. But I'll be walking with you to make sure nothing happens." Peter smiled. For having never dealt with anyone with a disability before, he was doing remarkably well. He figured that the reason he was coming up with ideas for Angel was just his common sense kicking in.  
  
"Thanks, Mr. Scarbrow." Angel said. "Thanks for everything."  
  
"I'll only accept that on one condition. We're not too big on formality around here at Horizon. My name's Peter. Almost everybody goes by their first names. Kind of puts us all on an equal level." Peter took a look at the menu in front of him and added, "The food here is pretty basic... Burgers, fries, hot dogs, salads, and some dinner specials. Do you have an idea of what you would like, or would you like me to read some of the things on the menu to you?"  
  
Angel had to think for a moment. Deciding that she wasn't really in the mood for basic food she asked Peter to read off the specials to her. Peter rattled off a handful of specials and then waited. "Hmm. I think I'll go for the grilled chicken breast with the pasta."  
  
"Good choice," Peter said. "I was actually considering that myself. It's one of their best meals."  
  
When Stacy returned to their table they ordered their meals and waited. While they waited Peter flipped through several papers he'd brought with him, all of which being Angel's file. There wasn't much to her file, save for some records at the last school she'd atended, the case worker's report, and a vary minimal amount of information about her family. But from what Peter could gather Angel's family situation had been a pretty volital one, resulting in her father's subsequent jailing and her mother's entrance in to a rehabilitation centre for drug and alcohol abuse. The treatment program was an extensive one, which would last at minimum a year. Angel had no other relatives, and by defalt the state had been awarded custody. But why they'd chosen Mt. Horizon for Angel was beyond Peter. It didn't make sense to him, although that was something he would eventually ask either Angel herself or her case worker.  
  
Finally he put the papers down on the booth beside him and looked directly at Angel. I have a question to ask you. Do you have any idea why you were sent here to Horizon?"  
  
"Because when Social Services found out about my family and no one else was really looking to foster a blind fourteen-year old girl, they had to put me somewhere... And I guess they figured it was here or Juvie."  
  
"Well I'm glad they chose Horizon. Juvie is ten-times worse than Horizon. We've got our rules and regulations don't get me wrong, but we're of the belief that dealing with kids doesn't necessarily mean locking them up. It means dealing with their problems or anything that is bothering them. And while we're on that subject," Peter said conversationally, "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to talk about anything like that..."  
  
Angel knew he was giving her an out to come up with something on her own. But should she take it? And more importantly did she want to take Peter's offer to talk? She wasn't too entirely sure of whether or not she wanted to talk about it right now but knew that if she didn't she'd only be postponing the inevidible. She knew full well that she would have to discuss things eventually. And, what better way than to give some information to Peter first and the rest of the Cliffhangers second. But she knew it wouldn't be easy talking about her family and all the baggage that went along with it.  
  
"Well, I gues there is something I sort of want to talk about... My family."  
  
Just as Peter was about to say something his and Angel's dinner arrived. Stacy placed both dishes on the table, and quickly left. Peter unwrapped his silverware from his napkin and said, "Your plate is right in front of you. Silverware's on your left, soda's in front of your plate at 12:00 o'clock, and there are salt and pepper shakers on your left hand side but a few inches in front. Those are more toward the center of the table. Chicken's at 6:00 o'clock, your pasta is from 9:00 to 12:00, and you have a Small piece of tomato up at about 2:00."  
  
Angel unwrapped her silverware, and began to dig in to her meal. Peter did the same, all the while taking little glances here and there to see just how efficient Angel was with regard to her task. He noted that she was pretty good at handling everything, and eventually ceased his frequent glances. He hated the fact that he was as curious as he realized, but Angel really did strike him as being a vary capable young woman. Despite their shortcomings and falts, Angel's parents had obviously taught their daughter the necessary skills of independence. Peter wondered if he would act the same way, had he to deal with a situation similar to Angel's. He wondered if he, like Angel, would have the patients and will of strength to perform tasks which seemed to come so easily to his newest student.  
  
Finally after a long silence Peter said, "Angel, I know that it probably isn't easy having a family life as complicated as yours is. But if you ever want to talk, I'll be here."  
  
"Thanks. I guess I would sorta like to talk about some stuff. I mean if here is an okay place..."  
  
"Angel, like I said you're more than welcome to talk to me whenever you want. Now you should know that whatever we discuss will stay between us, unless you give me permission to talk to anyone else about it. But if whatever we talk about is of a nature which could proove to be harmful to you or anyone else, then I'm bound by law to report it." Peter hated being so clinical with this girl. Although she appeared to be older than her years, she was in reality nothing more than a scared fourteen-year old girl. 


End file.
